COMMUTERS could soon be hopping on to a high-speed Pendolino train to get into work from Bolton, it has been revealed.

Rail bosses are looking at the prospect of running one of the pioneering tilting trains from Bolton station — once the rail network in the area is fully electrified.

Bolton Council’s cabinet member for transport, Cllr David Chadwick, raised the prospect of bringing the service to Bolton some years ago.

Now, as the electrification of the local rail network edges closer, he said he has had positive discussions to suggest there is a very good prospect of running a high-speed train from Bolton on mornings.

The service, currently operated by Virgin, travels along the West Coast Mainline from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston.

Cllr Chadwick has suggested that once Bolton’s network is electrified, an early morning service could start at Bolton and head to Manchester before continuing to London.

He said: “I first thought about this because I was aware that there is a maintenance hub for the trains in Longsight in Manchester.”

“A service before 7am would not only get people into Manchester quickly, but I know of quite a few people who travel into London from Bolton as well and this would mean they could get a direct train.

“I am being told that there is a very decent prospect of this happening and that at the moment, no obstacles are being put in the way and it is being given serious consideration.”

The prospect of a Pendolino in the borough will provide another boost for long-suffering commuters after it was announced that a full timetable of trains will start running between Bolton and Manchester from December 14.

This follows an eight-month period of delays and disruption prompted by work to enlarge one of the Farnworth tunnels to prepare it for electric trains.

Network Rail is working towards a target of the end of 2016 to fully energise the line.

A spokesman for Transport for Greater Manchester said the possibility of a Pendolino running from Bolton to London was one of a number of options being put forward as part of the re-franchising of the West Coast Mainline in 2017.

Virgin Trains has been operating the Italian-made Pendolinos in the UK since 2002.